Email Answers: Decorating ADD?
Q: First, I want to say that I love your blog! Your home seems so fresh and inviting! I love your style! On the other hand, I feel like I have Decorating ADD. I think I have a great plan all laid out for a room but when I get to the store I immediately find a million other things that I like even better! I can’t focus on a plan! I think part of the problem is that I like so many different decorating styles. I get bored very easily, and I think my husband gets tired of me changing things around constantly (although he would never say anything, he’s a gem!). Anyways, my question is… does this mean I have an eclectic style? Any tips for pulling it together without making my rooms look like confused spaces? Thanks a million! -Kristina
A: We totally know what you mean! It took us years to really figure out what we loved and what materials, styles and colors would work together to create a cohesive and inviting home. It’s important to note that what you love and what should come home with you are not always the same thing! There are lots of things that we love but they wouldn’t work with other items, color schemes, and elements that we already have in our home so we’re perfectly happy admiring them from afar! For example, here’s a boldly patterned navy rug that John and I both adore, but recognize that it doesn’t jive with our light and airy existing aesthetic:
Our best advice for pinpointing your style once and for all (and feeling more focused and less frenzied on shopping trips) would be to tear out favorite rooms from magazines and collect online images that inspire you in a desktop folder. That way you can easily pick out the reoccurring themes that may otherwise have been less obvious to you (ex: all your favorite rooms have a lot of white in them, most of them are punchy and colorful, they all feel uncluttered and minimal, etc). For example, here are two rooms that are currently in our inspiration folder. Note the similar serene feeling, soft colors, and natural textures accompanied by a bit of dark wood or metal:
Once you have a better idea of what you consistently like, take a good hard look at what you have. If all of your inspiration rooms have white slipcovered sofas but you’re working with brown leather ones, you might want to grab a few inexpensive slipcovers to instantly add more of the style you gravitate towards. This will also help you to develop a foolproof shopping plan that you can effortlessly stick to. For example, if your favorite inspiration rooms have warm yellow and burn orange accent colors, it will be easier to steer clear of that cool blue and white pillow that happens to be on sale.
It’s also always a good idea to keep larger items neutral (rugs, sofas, walls) if you find yourself attracted to a lot of colorful eclectic accents, which can really help the mixed & matched thing work without creating a chaotic room that feels like it’s fighting with itself. Here’s an example of a great eclectic room that doesn’t feel frenzied or overwhelming thanks to a neutral rug, sofa and walls (while the smaller pieces add punches of color and interest from all different eras):
And finally, the most important thing to mention is that a room is never really done (and especially isn’t done in a day or a week). A place that feels like home will constantly evolve and grow with you, so don’t despair if it takes a while to create a space that truly feels like you. It’s all about trial and error, learning as you go, and having fun along the way!
What about you guys? Do you have any tips and tricks to add to the mix? Tell us how you make sense of a room full of eclectic pieces or how you keep your eyes on the prize when you’re shopping for home decor!
Go ahead, submit your very own email question! Please note that while we can’t address them all individually, we will try to select the ones that commonly come up and answer them for all to see.
Images courtesy of Overstock, Canadian House & Home magazine, Pottery Barn, and Domino.
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Sherry,
I’m so glad you’ve addressed this question. I too find it difficult to focus once I start shopping-even if I go with the exact item in mind, there are so many distractions. Thanks for your very practical advice. I love your blog and my husband now knows that I’m usually visiting it when I’m anywhere near the computer.
I am definitely a little ADD when it comes to design. I just recently came home with an amazing vibrant yellow toss pillow…I tried to justify it by saying “Every room needs a pop of yellow”…wrong. It looked terrible with our current decor. As much as I love it, I am headed to Target to swap it for a much more cohesive aqua blue pillow!
Just curious how you organize your inspiration folder…is it online via a certain website like flickr? Is it cut-outs from magazines in a box? Or a little bit of both?
Hey Priscilla,
Good question! We actually have a three inch binder full of clear plastic sleeves sectioned off into categories (outdoor inspiration, art ideas, interiors we love, etc) for all of our favorite magazine tear-outs. And when it comes to saving images that we find online, a simple desktop folder labeled “inspiration” with similar folders (outdoor stuff, interior ideas, art stuff, etc) allows us to drag anything and everything that we love into that folder for safe keeping and easy viewing. Hope it helps!
xo,
Sherry
This is so me! I just painted a room in my house tan since I’m so wishy-washy because I’m scared that I’ll get a nice bold color on the wall that I LOVE {at the time!} and then get tired of it. So I decided that I’d accesorize it with color, but now I’m wishing that I’d painted it a green. Sigh. No fears, I found a green rug at Ikea last night that I fell in love with, so that will be my big splash of color!! Unless I win that Behr paint….. :-)
I can relate to the above who likes a little bit of everything. My home is definitely a bit electic. I think the key is finding great anchor pieces and working around it. Color is important when you have an electic style because it can help keep all the pieces and your home as a whole cohesive. My colors are reds (though more burgundy-ish), greens, golds, browns, and black. I think blues, purples, etc can make a lovely home but because they aren’t my faves I just bypass them in the store. However, we do have one purple room in our house, our daughter’s room. haha! Her room is like the odd ball but she loves it.
I did what Sherry suggested a few years ago, and once I realized the common qualities, our style (which was mish-mashed over the years) clicked into place and became a defining element of our home: neutral colors, clean lines, uncluttered, with a blend of traditional and contemporary.
My biggest obstacle to overcome was the “this isn’t exactly what I want, but it’ll probably work” train of thought. I’ve learned to hold off until EXACTLY what I want becomes available. It’s surprising how big a difference that made in keeping with our style. Of course, you do have to be flexible, too, but hold out for those pieces that will really define your rooms!
I am in total agreement…a room is NEVER done. Mine are constantly evolving, even when I have a basic design intact already. Gotta keep things fresh and exciting!
I totally agree that creating inspiration folders is an awesome way to “streamline” your style – I used this same approach to find architectural features that I liked while we were undergoing a big remodel – worked like a charm!! I tend to use several different computers (work, home, etc), so when I find an online picture that I like I just right-click on and and choose “email” – that way I can email it to myself (noting the source in the subject line), print it out later and always have it when I need it!
This question could have been posted by me! Since discovering your website, I’ve been yearning to decorate ASAP. However, it’s good to know that your house didn’t happen overnight. My hubby and I need time and our priority right now is dissolving our school loan debt before conquering any design dilemmas. That said, I am THOROUGHLY enjoying preparing for some DIY projects/design: organizing a home folder, clipping magazines, rearranging furniture on paper, compiling a shopping list and researching various design books that you’ve suggested. Thanks for all of the inspiration and practical advice!
LOL…I was so happy when I saw this question this morning! I’m so glad I’m not alone…I LOVE so many styles and I have changed my decor more times than I or my hubby cares to remember…
I have always kept a small folder of inspiration…but I’ve never really went through and organized it. Now I have a plan! Thanks youngsters :)
This is great! I always wind up bringing something home from a store because I love it, have to have it, then it doesn’t really fit with my style or colors.
For instance, I bought a Jonathan Adler throw pillow because it was beautiful and only $10. But it really doesn’t go with my bedding at all…
This is such great advice. It should work with wardrobes too.
I totally feel Kristina’s pain. I’m so indecisive that I’m paralyzed at a store. Then I’ll buy something because I’m fed up with myself and hate it (pillow, lamp, etc) three months later.
On the plus side, I have a neutral sofa, glass coffee table, and basic espresso brown furniture. So if I wanted to go “ethnic” I could, or “go blue” or pink, or vintage eclectic. Probably the only things I couldn’t do would be shabby chic or minimalist modern. But my wealth of options is quite intimidating!
Because I feel that my style evolves over time, I try to update one room at a time, then move to the next. Pretty much I’m constantly working on one room or another. That way they never feel too disconnected and the whole house isn’t “dated” at once.
I have an obsession with collecting ideas from magazines and online and have been doing it since high school – long before I could ever dream of having my own place!
One thing that works for me is, after I’ve done the work and found the inspiration for the room, I make a list of items I need for it – and be specific. Not just a rug, but a red-toned, oriental rug, preferrably with fringe, maybe even from an antique store. Having a shopping list with specifics keeps me on track so I don’t veer too far from what I know I liked in my inspiration and prevents the impulse buys that usually never work.
Also, just in case you succumb to an impulse buy, always save receipts until you’re sure you love it – it can always be returned!
I’ve been trying to organize my inspiration folder all sorts of ways, but why did I not think about organizing it by rooms?!? DUH! =D Thanks Sherry!
I use the binder with sleeves to organize my inspirations too! My boyfriend I just bought our first home. We’re tackling updates AND design differences! He wants to be included, but only at the decision stage and that means I have control over the choices. I spend my free time thinking, researching and planning; with white walls and neutral furniture, there are LOTS of ideas to choose from! I’m dizzy just writing about it. This blog has been a fun addition to my daily design ritual though- thanks!
i tend to have the same problem! i have bookmarks on my computer, folders in my drawers, etc filled with design inspiration that i love. like sherry i too look through it all every so often & remind myself about what i love about the specific decor/designs. (so i stay on track-ha!) i also *love* polyvore & get out some creative juice with making my own inspiration boards. take a look at them here:
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/browse.sets?uid=571707
happy decorating!
Great question to address! I find myself in the same spot, I like both light & airy rooms and then when the Fall rolls around or Christmas and all of those magazines start pouring in with the Fall colors and the warm leather sofas with darker warm colors on the walls and the candles are lit in the pics with the fireplace blazing, and everything is spot on for the Fall/Winter seasons…I all of a sudden wish I had less of the white and beach stuff and more of the warm & cozy mountain and dark colors. So by years end we’re scratching our heads, looking around at our house and it has a total identity crisis! It’s all about my mood, and that changes with the seasons! I guess the only way to solve that would be to have a winter home and a summer home!No small task, right? Geez!
This seems to be true for so many of us, and add in a spouse or significant other and it adds a whole new level of confusion. I came across a fun quiz to “find out” your design style at sproost.com.
Hey Courtney,
We love that quiz! We actually took it a while back. You can check out our results here (and read the comments to see what others got). Very interesting indeed!
http://www.younghouselove.com/2009/02/apparently-im-the-country-one-now/
xoxo,
Sherry (& John)
I so should start an inspiration folder. Esepcially because I am so chicken when it comes to decorating. All our rooms are builder-beige, which is better than white… but pretty boring.
Not sure if it’s the best way to decorate, but I tend to function largely on the premise that if I (or DH) absolutely adore it and can’t live without it (and it’s something that we *need*, like when we were shopping for a coffee table) that it can be made to work. I justify this by saying that we generally choose things with the same style/feel/whatever.
Very well put. I have all my clients collect at least 5-10 images of spaces that catch their eye and then have them stick post-its on what they like with a little note of why. I also ask them to find at least one photo of a space they dislike and ask them why. Really helps everyone get on the same page and create a visual image of their likes and dislikes and creates.
I think this is true of all of us; I bet almost no one is just one style without, at the very least, admiring other kinds. It’s totally important to identify the common themes. I guess it would be a good exercise to ask yourself to describe your decorating ‘likes’ in just a few sentences.
I think we might have made a big ‘oops’ in our basement, which we are still finishing. I wanted something ‘different’ from our usual, so we went with some paint that was actually kind of more like John and Sherry’s colors, a beachy neutral and a light blue. Except, the beachy neutral that looked tan or khaki in the upstairs looks… fleshy in some of the lighting down there. And the blue, while fresh and energizing for the exercise room, feels really wrong for the accent wall behind the bar. I think we need yellow undertones and dark red or green accent walls for the theatre/bar/entertaining area! Yipe. If we redo it, it’s a LOT of painting.
I wanted to point out two really good tools for online inspiration folders: Iterasi and Evernote. I’ve used both, but am finding the latest updates to Evernote to be really nice, since they’ve gotten much better at saving a whole web page.
I have started a binder, thanks to your idea. I must say I didn’t realize how obvious my style preferences are haha.
Only problem is that since I like the light beachy white and tans, and shades of brown…I have ended up with dark hardwood floors a darker neutral area rug, and a chocolate velvet couch.
Since I do like a neutral palette (clearly), I was thinking of having a slipcover made for my couch in a sandy color, that way I could switch it out during summer, then back to the chocolate for fall.
What kind of price range do you think this would run? Also, I love the lines of the couch, and it seems well built…however my bf pointed out how its not all that comfortable…which he is right…any ideas for how/where to get new cushions keeping the existing couch?
Hey Vanessa,
Good questions! Of course this is just a range but it can usually run you around $500 to $800 to get a custom slipcover made for your couch (I know! it’s expensive!) and getting cushions restuffed or replaced can usually cost about $150-300). Our sister in law actually looked into these options for her old sofa and decided that replacing the whole thing made the most sense (she went with Room & Board and she loves her new sofa).
Of course you can also go the super affordable route and purchase a ready-made slipcover (sold at Target or Bed Bath & Beyond) and you can even purchase thick foam rubber from a fabric store or a local upholsterer and use an electric turkey slicer (an old design trick) to cut it to create your own custom seat cushions that fit your couch perfectly. There really is a wide range of possibilities for your sofa! Hope it helps.
I’m still backtracking, but all your posts are so inspiring!
This is a great post. It made me think about what was in my inspiration folder on my computer. I had it sectioned off by rooms and was actually subconciously trapped by what I would put in a specific room just because I liked the overall look. I have just been going along buying or making things that appeal to me, then try to find a home for them.
Going through my folders, I actually now have a lot of things I initially saved to that folder. However, the “home” for all my favorite things aren’t in any of the rooms i was inspired by. For example, our acrylic ball lamps are in the living room, even though I initially fell in love with them in several bedrooms. I just decided not to split my pictures up by room because of this, and now I just have one big honkin folder for everything.
It is interesting going through the folder and seeing what pops up multiple times. I had no idea some rooms even carried the exact same accessories until I studied them further. And of course, those are the items I’ve since bought! I’m also realizing other things I’ve been recently obsessing over in the stores are all over these pictures too! Those pictures do say a lot about your style!
Hi, your website is all very inspiring to me as I love putting together stuff myself to beautify my home without breaking the bank. I have been trawling through the internet to get inspiration and what I am drawn to is a clean, fresh, crisp look. I would love to paint my door and window frames white as they are a dark stain at the moment. The problem is that the dark stain totally works with the outside of our house, being an off white colour, but is a bit dark inside. What would you suggest? Should I try and paint the inside white and outside leave stained??? Help
Definitely! It’s an option that lots of people choose since they want the inside of the house to feel more open and airy (while the outside already feels that way since it’s, well, outside!). Hope it helps.
xo,
s
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly! Last question, how do you suggest I deal with the side bits that can be seen outside and inside? I’m not sure whether to paint them white (what I’m leaning to) or half half?
That’s really your call. We think just choosing to make them white will look great if that’s what you’re leaning towards so go for it! Good luck…
xo,
s
This is so me! I thought I was the only one! I love re purposing things and since I can always find a way to change something or tweak it just the way I imagined, I am overwhelmed with creativity. I am currently working on painting an old door to hang sideways on my wall and attach coat hangers for the entry way. In the meantime, my brain is flooded with some ideas for the kitchen and spare bedroom. Let me just say, my husband is geeked! (That was sarcasm in case you couldn’t tell…haha!)
My husband and I are in the very early stages of remodeling our enitre house…finally!!!! We always lean towards the lighter hues of grays, blues and tans and I like to add pops of color. My 3 year old daughter on the other hand, is all about bold, in your face colors. She has requested that her room be “real blue”, much like the blue in your guest room. How can I make this work with the rest of my house so it doesn’t feel out of place???
Just try to tie things together. Maybe use that as a curtain color in another room so there’s a cohesive feeling? Or as couch cushions or even the blinds in a small bathroom? Subtle repitition of a few of the colors in your scheme will help things feel balanced and lovely!
xo,
s